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March 25, 2008

G1: Red Sox 6, Athletics 5 (10)

Matsuzaka surrendered a line-drive home run to Ellis on his 3rd pitch of the game and had early control problems (though at times, he was getting seriously squeezed). He threw 30 pitches in each of the first two innings, walking four, hitting one, and tossing a wild pitch. Oakland stranded two runners in the first and left the bases loaded in the second.

Dice (5-2-2-5-6, 95) recovered, retiring 10 of his last 11 batters, allowing only one ball out of the infield.

Boston grabbed the lead in the sixth. Pedroia doubled to right, Youkilis walked and Manny drove brought them in with a double down the left field line. Ramirez scored on a single from Moss, who got the last-minute start after Drew's back tightened up.

Kyle Snyder relieved Dice in the 6th and promptly gave the lead back as Crosby singled and Hannahan donged. Javier Lopez came in and got out of the inning quickly. Tito gave the 8th to Bryan Corey, a move which paid off. Ellsbury had to make a leaping catch at the center field wall on Brown's leadoff drive, banging his shoulder a bit, but Corey got the next two A's on weak grounders. That let Jeemer take the 9th and Bot the 10th.

In the ninth, two outs away from defeat, Moss hit his first major league home run -- down the right field line off Huston Street -- to tie the game. And the Sox tagged Street again in the 10th. Lugo reached on an infield single to third and was bunted over by Pedroia. Yook fanned and Ortiz was intentionally walked. Ramirez came through again, with a double off the wall in right center. Four RBI for Manny today. He watched it for awhile from the plate, but still slide easily into second.

Snuffer wasn't his snuffin' self in the bottom of the 10th. He walked Barton and Brown cracked a one-out double. Barton scored, cutting the lead to 6-5, but Brown was caught in a rundown between second and third -- 9-4-3-5-6-3 -- for an important out. Crosby and Hannahan both singled, putting the winning run on first, but Suzuki grounded out 3-1 to end the game.

jordan's furniture is doing another one of their crazy gambling gimmicks.

Last year if the Red Sox won the WS, anyone who bought furniture at Jordan's at the beginning of the year would get it free.

This year he's doing the same thing, but this time the furniture is free if the Red Sox sweep the world series. Not like they haven't done that before, though, seeing as it's been 22 years since they've lost a world series game.

GOOD MORNING VIETNAM! Er...make that JOY! I could barely sleep, I must've woken up four or five times during the night....but it's here! It's here! LETS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Well, last year when I wore my #18 jersey with Damon's name ripped off the back during DiceK starts, the Sox went undefeated... ditto for my Beckett t-shirt on Beckett starts, and my Schilling t-shirt on Schilling starts.

The same ratty shirt I wore to bed. I'm still IN bed. The soothing voices of Don and Rem don't seem to be waking up Kim, (who alwas complains about late games! come on, morning people, this is your chance!)

I can't believe Jacoby hasn't hit in this game yet. Wouldn't wanna "risk it"... As soon as Drew goes down, you correct the lineup. Oh, Drew's out, we'll go with Moss. Hmmmm, this Ellsbury guy isn't hitting, we'll slide you in a couple spots above his ass. I don't get that one at all. (If you can't tell by my admittedly rusty early-season sarcasm.)

no you missed my point about Drew, I'm saying, when they saw Drew was out, Moss goes in, but why ahead of Jacoby, who should be leading off in the first place. ANd then after Drew goes down, (with injury is what I meant), STILL he doesn't go up to leadoff, but instead has MOss slide in ABOVE him...

francona wants to let ellsbury start off slowly, rather than just throw him in the leadoff spot. i guess that'll keep the nerves down a little for opening day. pedroia's still a terrific lead-off hitter.